


You Don't Know What's Best For Her

by Little_Wintry



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Game: Destiny 2: Shadowkeep DLC Spoilers, Gen, I don't know her :), Inspiration?, Post Shadowkeep, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Survivor Guilt, i had to dig this up, mostly Pirul and Petra yelling at each other, motivation?, ugh just some angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25442512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Wintry/pseuds/Little_Wintry
Summary: Pirul and Petra get in a heated argument over what's best for Zelun after the events of Shadowkeep.
Relationships: Female Guardian/Petra Venj, if you squint
Kudos: 2





	You Don't Know What's Best For Her

**Author's Note:**

> So. Wow. I haven't posted in weeks. Most of that is because I haven't played Destiny in ages and have, instead, been focusing more on my original works. I apologize in advance because it will probably be a little while before I write anything else either. Of course, I could just write fics other than Destiny, but that's a mortifying ordeal I'm not ready to submit myself to yet. Destiny is my little safe zone, and I intend to stay here for the foreseeable future.  
> Anyway, that's enough rambling. Stay safe, enjoy the fic, and the angst, and I'll see you all probably in another month.
> 
> -Wintry

It was another hazy day in the Dreaming City. It could be cold, sometimes - when the curse seemed biting and brutal, when Dul Incaru’s influence had once again reached its peak. When the Taken threatened all we held near.

Today was not one of those days. It was a fresh start, the first day of the first week, leaving the air warm as a summer’s day and the ground was heavy with mist. The sounds of battle seemed so far away, little more than distant gunshots that seemed like bouts of thunder. Petra sat in the Strand, one leg up on a rock before she glanced back.

Zelun was, for once, asleep.

It was a rare occasion she slept, period. If possible, she sleeps for a few hours every week, scattered in minutes of downtime. It was even rarer she slept anywhere outside her ship.

She had her knees pulled up to her chest, cloak wrapped around her like a blanket. She sat in the shade of a nearby tree, head resting against the trunk, the steady rise and fall of her chest with every breath.

“Huh,” Pirul said, suddenly hovering next to Petra. “When… when did she get like this?”

Petra chuckled. “Not sure. Thirty minutes, or so? She came in, we started to chat, and she sat by that tree. I guess she just dozed off.”

Pirul looked at Petra pointedly. “My Guardian does not just _doze off.”_

“You don’t think I don’t know that? I’m as bewildered as you.”

He did a few lazy circles around her, to check. When he got close, she flinched away in her sleep, readjusting herself slightly, before Pirul went back to Petra.

“What were you two talking about? Just curious.”

“The Reef. Awoken stuff.”

Pirul raised a metaphorical eyebrow. Petra scowled in reply.

“You ought to loosen your reign on her, Pirul.” Petra warned. “Do you remember her hunt with the Wolves? How happy she was? You told me yourself that the Nightmare of Skolas was the only one that didn’t bother her.”

Pirul remained tough in his resolve. “Petra, it’s no good for her. Her past can only bring troubles, more pain, and more heartbreak for her to go through.”

Fury rose in Petra’s chest. “You don’t know what’s good for her.”

“I’m her Ghost!”

“That doesn’t mean _anything_ to her!” Petra snapped. “She can hardly talk to you! I haven’t seen a smile on her face in ages, a genuine, _happy_ smile.” Petra’s voice was soaked in venom. “I’ve heard her cry more times in the past year than I’ve heard her laugh. Her _past_ is the only thing she has left of herself anymore, it’s the only thing she _wants_ to hold on to!”

“ _You helped her hunt down the very person she still cries over!”_ Pirul was furious now, fires raging in his shell. He was trembling with anger. “Do you know how much _hurt_ that caused her? To kill Uldren? And you never stopped her. You encouraged that rage.”

Behind them, there was a soft groan.

Zelun lifted her head, rubbing her eyes. “Petra?”

Swatting Pirul aside, Petra went over and knelt down, putting on a smile. “Hey, Z. Did you sleep well?” Pirul was silent, afraid to speak for if Zelun heard.

“Yeah,” Zelun straightened a little bit. “Better than I thought. Just a little cold.”

Digging in a crate a few feet away, Petra pulled out a blanket and draped it over Zelun’s shoulders. Zelun sighed and closed her eyes again, resting her head on Petra’s shoulder, before slipping back into sleep.

Petra shot daggers at Pirul, her eyes hard but her expression soft. 

“We made a promise to each other years ago, in her past life.” Now, Petra’s eyes softened, and she glanced at the ground. “When we were in the Reef Wars. We were discussing the implications of revenge, and I promised her, if she ever needed revenge, I would be the one to help her.”

Pirul was still furious. “Do you think that excuses _anything?”_

“No. I was blinded by my own rage, too. My own emotions. I realize the pain she’s in. But I swear, I’m going to do anything to fix it.” She glared back at Pirul. “That’s more than I can say for you.”

Pirul almost scoffed, but before he could get a word out, Petra shushed him again.

“Why is Zelun still an active Guardian? Why does she keep throwing herself in these dangerous situations that she knows will just scar her?”

“She has an obligation to the Vanguard, she’s the Hero of the Red War, Godslayer, she wants to help others.”

Petra grimaced. “Is that what you believe?”

“What?”

“That she ‘just wants to help’? Who was the one to drill it into her head that she was an agent of the Vanguard? Who is the one to always tell her of the next threat on the horizon? Who is the one that never _stops_ her? Or at least stopped trying to a long time ago?”

Pirul went silent as he realized what she was saying.

“What I was saying earlier was… harsh.” Petra said. “I’ll admit that. And I know the wrong I’ve done, and I’m doing my damndest to fix it.” Her hands balled into fists. “And I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know all the details. But you are possibly the only one who has a chance to convince Zelun she doesn’t need to continue down this path.”

“Do you think she’ll listen to me?”

“She may not trust you, but she adores you, Pirul. I’ve heard her talk. You are the only person who has, quite literally, been there through almost everything.”

Pirul shifted in his shell. “But what about the next big threat? Could anyone else even have a chance?”

Petra looked at him, horrified. “Do you realize how _selfish_ that sounds?”

Pirul turned down. “I… I do. And I know how much you care about her Petra, but I think Zelun’s beyond even my fixing.” He nestled himself in his Guardian’s lap. “She’s so headstrong, so confident she’s the only one who can fix things, and she always believes that it’s never enough. That she can do more.”

“Survivor’s guilt.”

Pirul turned up towards Petra. “What?”

“The same thing happened during the Reef Wars. She was always the more confident, but behind closed doors, away from others, when it was just the two of us - she always believed she could have saved Amethyst. I’m afraid that’s a guilt that’s carried over into this life.”

Pirul felt like even though he was only machine, he might cry.

“I want you to talk to Ikora,” Pirul said. “Each of us… we can only do so much on our own. But I know we all want the best for Zelun. I don’t think any of us can be there to stop her from launching herself into danger, but together, we can always pick up the pieces.”

Petra glanced away for a second. She put her arm around Zelun and ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t like you all that much, but I’m willing to call a truce for her.”

Pirul nodded. “At least you’re honest.”

He hovered back in the air. “I’m going to talk to Ikora. Stay here with her, okay? In case she wakes up, or has a nightmare.” Pirul shifted awkwardly for a second. “I never knew what she was like in her past life, or what you were like, but she trusts you Petra, she really does.”

Petra nodded solemnly. “And I’d trust her with my life in turn.”

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, you made it down here? And you're reading the notes? Good on you, friend. If you're a regular reader of my work, I apologize for being so out of it recently. I'm grateful to be focusing on my original works, but I still feel kinda guilty leaving all of my fics to collect dust in here. If, however, you still wanna support me and read my writing, I advise looking on Commaful. I got an account there recently - the same name as on here, Little_Wintry - and I've posted lots of my original writing on there, and have been keeping up with it fairly regularly. In addition, there's lots of other fantastic writers on there, and it's a great community to post short pieces of original fiction.  
> But enough self-promo of my own writing (god I really have reached the lowest of lows, haven't I?). Stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope you're all doing well :)
> 
> -Wintry


End file.
